Apple is finally getting ready to offer the public its new iTunes Match feature for its various platforms. But before that happens, there"s some housecleaning to do on Apple"s side of things. Today Boy Genius Report announced that Apple sent a note to developers informing them that "we will be deleting all current iCloud libraries" in the evening on Saturday, November 12 (specifically 10 pm Pacific time). Apple admits in the developer note that this move is indeed in preparation for the launch of iTunes Match.
Apple first announced its plans for iTunes Match back in June which is supposed to allow iTunes users to upload and mirror their music library on Apple"s iCloud service. iTunes Match will cost will cost $24.99 a year to access. While Apple had previously announced that iTunes Match would go live by the end of October, just after the launch of iOS 5 and the iPhone 4S, October came and went with no such launch.
Apple might be wanting to get iTunes Match online in time to steal some thunder from Google which is rumored to be making a music download service announcement of its own on Wednesday.
Regardless of the timing, Apple users have been very patient in waiting for iTunes Match to be made available to the public and it sounds like it will indeed be ready for prime time in the very near future.